Barbecue Pulled Pork Slaw

Name: Barbecue Pulled Pork Slaw
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1½ lb (about ½ medium head) (680 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored, and very thinly sliced (about 7 cups); 1 large (about 4 oz) (115 g) large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated; 3 whole (45 g) green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced; ¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise; 3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp (27 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 tsp (2½ g) celery seed; ¾ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp (5 ml) hot sauce, or to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crisp, tangy, lightly sweet creamy coleslaw built to pile on top of pulled pork sandwiches. The apple cider vinegar and celery seed cut through rich meat, while a short rest lets the cabbage soften just enough to stay crunchy but easy to bite.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: About 6 cups (8 sandwich-topping portions)

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Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 1 hour of chilling so the cabbage softens slightly and the flavors meld.
Use a head of green cabbage of about 1½ lb (680 g); you will use roughly 2 lb of shredded cabbage and carrot combined.
Chill the mayonnaise and cabbage so the slaw is cold and crisp when served.
Dress the slaw no more than 4 hours before serving for the best crunch.

1
Prep the cabbage
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage, cut it in half through the core, and cut out the dense core from your ½ portion.
- Lay the cabbage flat side down and slice crosswise into very thin shreds, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) wide.
- Transfer to a large 4-quart (4 L) bowl.
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Ready when: Shreds are thin and fine enough to pile neatly on a sandwich bun.
Tip: Thin shreds matter on a sandwich: thick pieces slide out of the bun.
2
Add carrot and onion
- Coarsely grate the peeled carrot on the large holes of a box grater and slice the green onions thinly.
- Add both to the cabbage and toss with your hands to distribute evenly.
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Ready when: Orange and green flecks are evenly spread through the cabbage.
3
Whisk the dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, celery seed, kosher salt, black pepper, and hot sauce if using.
- Whisk for about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, pourable but thick, with no visible grains of brown sugar.
Tip: Whisk until the sugar fully dissolves, otherwise the slaw feels gritty.
4
Dress and toss
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture.
- Use tongs or a large spoon to toss for about 1 minute, lifting from the bottom, until every shred is lightly coated.
- Start with all of the dressing; the cabbage will look generously coated at first.
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Ready when: No dry cabbage or pooled dressing; all shreds glisten evenly.
5
Chill to meld
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- The salt and vinegar draw out some water from the cabbage, softening it slightly and mellowing the flavors.
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Ready when: Cabbage is tender-crisp, bends easily but still crunches when bitten.
Tip: Longer than 4 hours gives a soggier, watery slaw.
6
Taste and serve
- Stir the slaw well, since some liquid will have collected at the bottom.
- Taste and adjust with another pinch of salt, a splash of vinegar for tang, or more hot sauce.
- Spoon about ¾ cup onto each pulled pork sandwich, or serve in a bowl alongside.
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Ready when: Slaw tastes balanced: creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Tip: Use a slotted spoon when topping sandwiches so the buns stay dry.

Good to know

Tips

Slice cabbage as thinly as you can; a mandoline gives uniform shreds in minutes.
If your slaw seems watery after chilling, drain off the pooled liquid before stirring in a spoonful more mayonnaise.
Toast the buns for pulled pork sandwiches so the slaw's moisture does not soak them.
For a spicier slaw, add a pinch of cayenne or a minced pickled jalapeño.

Make ahead

"Shred the cabbage, carrot, and green onions and whisk the dressing up to 1 day ahead; store separately in the refrigerator, then toss together at least 1 hour before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; the slaw will soften and release liquid, so stir before serving. Not suitable for room temperature holding beyond 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Do not freeze, as the cabbage turns limp and the dressing separates."

Substitutions

mayonnaise → Half mayonnaise, half plain Greek yogurt. Lighter and tangier; the dressing will be slightly thinner.
apple cider vinegar → White wine vinegar. Slightly milder and less fruity.
green cabbage → Bagged coleslaw mix (about 14 oz / 400 g). Skip the carrot and use the mix as is; shreds are thicker so chill the full 2 hours.
light brown sugar → Honey (1 tbsp plus 1 tsp). Whisk well to dissolve; flavor will be a little less molasses-like.